Chapter 102
I storm away from Oswald, making my way into the main room, where the pink diamond is. How much is this thing worth that Marsha would come out of retirement to get it? Or perhaps she's playing a longer game. Maybe the diamond isn't the endgame after all.
Through the open archways leading back to the museum entrance, I spot Marsha and her henchmen. She's going from group to group, greeting and schmoozing every guest when possible. But as she waves her arms around vivaciously or pats a flattered gentleman on the back, she helps herself to golden watch chains and rhinestones attached to dresses. Well, if she's going to steal, it might as well be in good taste. But something's wrong. Why would she casually steal from random museum guests? Is she just being reckless? Or is this part of her plan?
As she laughs with the same people she steals from, she starts moving toward the serving table near the entrance. After chatting up a nearby group of people, she quickly checks around before pouring her champagne drink into the shrimp cocktails.
Funny, this whole time I've never seen her drink once from that champagne glass. Because...that's not champagne, it's poison! But why did she poison just the shrimp cocktails? Why just that and not everything else on the table?
To my horror, I watch as Oswald limps toward the serving table. That's right, Oswald mentioned aloud that he wanted a shrimp cocktail! She must have heard our conversation.
I lean in from the archway as Oswald parks himself in front of the table. Should I stop him? The poison could kill him...but at the same time, I can't get what he did to me out of my head. I might regret not saving him in advance, but I might regret not letting him die.
He starts shovelling down shrimp cocktails like there's no tomorrow. I can't help but sigh. Oswald has a pension for seafood after all, but that doesn't excuse bad manners.
After the fifth shrimp cocktail, Oswald starts heavily coughing, clutching the end of the table. While watching him, my hands become restless, and I start to fidget with my dress. I shake my head, I can't watch him suffer like that.
Sighing, I start making my way toward him. Other guests start crowding around him as he falls to the floor. I push my way through the crowd to him.
Getting down on my knees, I take Oswald by the shoulders, "Oswald?!"
I lay him on his side and reach over to tear a piece of cloth from off of the serving table's tablecloth. With the cloth, I wipe off any remnants of the shrimp while I check his pulse.
"Someone call an ambulance!" I call out to the gasping and gaping guests surrounding us.
I lay my hand on his as I keep an eye on his pulse. If he starts choking, I can give him CPR.
My heart stops as something begins to curl around my finger. I turn to find Oswald's hand clutching mine. My expression softens, and just for a moment, I push my hand into his so that our palms touch. The moment passes quickly though, and I'm back to checking his pulse as the red ambulance lights shine into the museum.
The emergency medical staff rush Oswald, and I immediately back away and let them take over. I want to take a sigh of relief, but I know it's not over yet. As the crowd follows the ambulance staff outside, I turn around as the clacking of a singular pair of heels dart from the next room. I run into the room to find that the pink diamond has been stolen, the tripwire Oswald installed cut through from the middle. I groan, that's it! Marsha must have used Oswald's poisoning as a distraction to allow her to steal the diamond. I leave the room and return to the crowd lingering at the entrance to remove myself from the crime scene. The guards will notice the crime any minute now, but right now, I need to make a hospital visit...
I sit outside the hospital room, bent over at the stomach and my hands folded together. Getting up and leaning in the window, I spot Oswald lying in the hospital bed. Only family members are allowed in right now, and the Cobblepots don't have a phone, so I can't contact his mother.
Glancing around, I don't notice any nurses or staff in the hallway. Maybe I could pop in for a moment or two.
The door to his room is unlocked, and I sneak through the door before quietly closing it again. Oswald's hooked up to a breathing machine, as well as a heart monitor. His suit sits folded up in the chair next to him while he's dressed in a hospital robe.
The doctors said he'd be fine, they'll probably let him leave in the morning. Of course, he had to have his stomach pumped first, but after that, completely fine they said. I do have to wonder what kind of poison Marsha used. Did Oswald taste it?
Standing over his bedside, I examine the orange containers of pills sitting next to him on a metal tray. I look at the medicine label, this is some heavy stuff, Oswald's stomach must have really taken a hit for him to be taking pain medication like this. I put down the medication as I realize something. The doctor must have just been in here, otherwise they wouldn't leave medicines lying around like this. They'll be back soon, I should hurry.
Pushing his clothes a little bit to the side, I sit down in the chair beside his bed. This man has done horrible things to me, and yet, I still feel sorry for him. He had everything coming, including the poisoning, but there's still this little part of me that wishes for him to get well. To succeed.
I run my hand through his hair. The heavy amount of gel he uses to obtain the parted, feathery look has been worn out or washed off. I actually like his hair better this way, it looks more natural, and kind of fluffy. Kind of cute…
I stop myself. No, he's still a horrible, horrible man and I need to do everything in my power to get as far away from him as I possibly can. ...but how? I could move out of my apartment, find somewhere else, but would that help? I have no doubt in my mind that he would still be able to track me down, and when I brought up the suggestion of leaving before it made him very upset. Is the possibility of a little more privacy worth the risk of angering him?
As I stare downwards and think, Oswald's eyes begin fluttering open, "...Trixie?"
His voice is muffled by the breathing mask, but he's otherwise still audible. I turn to him, as a wide grin slowly creeps across his lips, "You're here."
"Yeah, I'm kind of...not actually allowed in right now. So this is just a quick visit, okay?"
His smile just continues to grow, and it starts to make me a little uncomfortable, "Come closer."
I scoot to the edge of the chair, and place my hands on the bed. He turns his body slightly, and takes my hands into his.
"When I passed out...you were the last thing I saw. Even though my insides were burning it felt...peaceful," he confesses.
"...I know you'll betray me again. It's inevitable. Your loyalty is just too divided."
His grip on my hands tighten, and the noises from the heart monitor begin to increase. I try to pull away, but with Oswald still smiling, he clamps my hands down to the bed, preventing my escape.
His smile unable to stretch any farther, he begins an unsettling chuckle, "But you know what? I don't care. I love you."
...what? Is he trying another one of his tricks? This is nothing like him, the reasonable thing to do would be to get rid of me. If he knows I'll betray him, why keep me around?
"Oswald…I…" my heart is racing. What do I say?
"I have to go," I get up and yank my arms away from him, but he refuses to budge.
"You feel the same, I know you do!" he shouts, "And you'll stay, I'll make you!"
A nurse barges through the door, "I thought I heard-...you're not suppose to be in here. This patient isn't seeing non-family members."
Ha, with our different skin tones, it's obvious right away that we're not family.
"She-...she's my wife!" Oswald declares, much to my surprise.
Just as I'm about to say something, he squeezes my hand, almost puncturing my skin with his nails.
The nurse nods, "Oh, I'm so sorry...I didn't realize...I'll...I'll leave you two alone."
She scurries out, closing the door behind her.
"I don't know what kind of meds they have you on, but you are out of control!" I snap in a shouted whisper, making another attempt to pull away.
He slams my hands back down on the bed, the wires attached to him flapping along with his movements.
"You're...not...leaving," Oswald growls.
The redness in his eyes and cheeks seem to seep right out of his sockets and pores. He clasps my arms down with an iron grip, his fingers clawed out and pressing into my skin. For someone who was just poisoned, he's quite strong.
I sigh, and pushing my chair closer to him, I lie my head down on his pillow. He shifts himself so that my head rests on his shoulder, and reaches over to brush some hair behind my ear. I expect him to have some sort of revelatory celebration, but instead, we sit in silence, and I eventually fall asleep on his shoulder.
Author's Note:
davinaxo: Thanks, hope you enjoyed! :)
Langley21: Yep, if you watch the Batman: the Animated Series episode "Birds of a Feather", you'll see that his inability to comport himself at parties precedes my writing. Of course he'd want her to forgive him right away, and while she probably won't forgive him, because he's becoming more powerful in the mob world (we're about two episodes away from Oswald acquiring Fish Mooney's club), he's going to become harder to shake off or work around
Thanks! :)